Four more people have been charged with defrauding New Jersey and the federal government out of Hurricane Sandy relief money by claiming their damaged vacation properties were their primary residences, authorities said.

The accusations announced on Wednesday bring the total number of people charged with Sandy relief fraud in the state to 116 since March 2014, according to state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal.

The 116 people charged were allegedly responsible for diverting more than $7 million in relief funds, Grewal said.

"Any fraud against public assistance programs is deplorable, but these thefts were especially egregious because they diverted funds intended for victims left homeless by one of the most devastating storms in New Jersey history," Grewal said in a statement.

The four defendants were charged Wednesday by complaint and issued a summons to appear in court:

Brian J. Kotowich, 57, of Beach Haven, allegedly filed fraudulent applications for FEMA assistance and state grants, receiving more than $187,000 in relief funds. Kotowich allegedly claimed in his applications that a home he owns on West Connecticut Avenue in Beach Haven was his primary residence when Sandy struck. But at the time, Kotowich lived in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Kotowich is charged with second-degree theft by deception.

Charles Licastro, 64, of Pine Brook, allegedly received $183,870 in relief funds after falsely claiming a home he owns on Boat Point Drive in Point Pleasant was his primary residence at the time Sandy struck. The home was actually a seasonal/weekend property, investigators said. Licastro is charged with second-degree theft by deception.

Anthony Novello, 63, of Forked River, allegedly received more than $169,000 in relief funds after claiming in his applications that a home he owns on Riverview Drive in Forked River was his primary residence at the time Sandy struck. Novello, who has since moved to Forked River, lived in Clark at the time of the hurricane, investigators said. He is charged with second-degree theft by deception.

Thomas Aquilino, 56, of Yonkers, New York, allegedly received $150,000 by falsely claiming a storm-damaged property he owns on Baltimore Avenue in Point Pleasant was his primary residence at the time Sandy hit. Investigators allege he lived in Yonkers and that the Point Pleasant house was a seasonal/weekend property. Aquilino is charged with second-degree theft by deception.

"In order to repair vacation or investment properties, these defendants allegedly stole funds that were strictly intended for victims who needed to rebuild or restore their primary homes," said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. "While many generously helped others after the storm, these property owners allegedly helped themselves."

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, according to the state attorney general.